This invention relates to livestock headgates, and more particularly to a livestock headgate adapted for rapid and positive automatic operation to secure animals of widely varying sizes.
Heretofore various diverse types of headgates have been used to restrain livestock, particularly cattle. In such headgates, the animal is restrained for treatment or grooming while standing on the ground and immobilized by having its head held in the headgate.
However, many of the headgates that have been used in the past are known to be dangerous, unwieldy, slow, and complicated in operation. Some are undependable, and are rarely adapted for long-term, maintenance free service. For example, one type of headgate in use comprises a V-shaped panel which supports the neck of an animal. This type of headgate is exceptionally undesirable in that in the event the animal slips or otherwise loses its footing, there is a possibility that the animal will be killed by breaking its neck, or that its breathing will be restricted due to pressure of the V-shaped panel on its neck. In the latter case, the animal must be bodily lifted in order to relieve the pressure and thereby restore breathing. Some V-shaped panel type headgates are provided with emergency release apparatus. However, the release feature is often of complicated operation, and considerably increases the cost of the headgate.
Another type of headgate that has been used heretofore is the stanchion gate. This type of headgate comprises a pair of vertically disposed neck-engaging bars which are pivotally supported at their bottom ends in a spaced apart relationship. The bars are adapted for pivotal movement between an open position wherein livestock are permitted to pass through the gate, and a closed position wherein the bars engage the sides of the neck of the animal to effect restraint of the animal.
The use of the stanchion type gate affords greater safety to the animal because the throat of the animal is not restrained. Since the stanchion gate does not require side gates, tail gates, etc., its operation is substantially faster and less complicated than would otherwise be the case.
A shortcoming of stanchion gates is that the neck-engaging bars generally do not close quickly and positively on the neck of the animal. Consequently, the bars sometimes catch the animal at the hips, requiring action by the operator to force the animal backwards out of the headgate. Another problem experienced in the use of stanchion gates is difficulty in making adjustments to accommodate various sizes of animals and horned animals.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a headgate of the walk-through stanchion type which is safer toward the livestock.
It is another object of this invention to provide a headgate as in the foregoing object having neck engaging means that are rapidly and automatically activated by the animal, and easily released by the operator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a headgate of the aforesaid nature of durable, easily operable, and minimal-maintenance construction.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.